Book 17, Indigo Prefecture – Chapter 14, The Challenge
As Linley was sent smashing to the corridor outside, a hint of blood appeared at the corner of his lips.
He immediately launched himself from the ground, transforming into a ray of light and scurrying towards the main hall. Linley laughed coldly to himself, “Emanuel thinks he can kill me? However, unless it becomes necessary, there’s no rush for me to reveal my power.” At the same moment Linley was fleeing, he was also shouting, “Elder Garvey, save me!”
The explosion of the door, and Linley’s loud shout...given the hearing prowess of Highgods, how could they not hear this?
“Whoosh!” “Whoosh!”
From afar, multiple figures flew over at high speed, with the handsome youth, Garvey, at their head.
“Don’t even think about escape!” An angry voice rang out, and Emanuel’s body flashed out in pursuit of Linley, as fast as an arrow.
Linley, seeing Garvey and the black-robed men, immediately fled behind them. Only now did he say, “Elder Garvey, Elder Emanuel wants to kill me!” When Garvey heard this, his handsome face became filled with anger.
“Emanuel, what are you doing!” Garvey thundered.
The bald Emanuel came to a halt, staring angrily at Linley, then looked at Garvey. “Garvey, step aside.”
“Linley is our clansman. Why do you want to kill him?” Garvey was extremely upset. “So the reason you wanted to speak to him privately was so you could kill him.”
“No, that’s not it.”
Emanuel said hurriedly. Emanuel, seeing Garvey appear, knew that this situation had just grown complicated. This was what he had feared the most. But he was astonished as well. “That palm blow of mine actually didn’t kill Linley. Sovereign artifacts truly are powerful and useful in protecting one’s life.”
Linley had blood dribbling from his lips, and his face was ashen.
Emanuel had believed that the reason he wasn’t able to kill Linley with one blow was because of the Coiling Dragon ring.
He didn’t realize...
That the blood leaking from the corner of Linley’s lips and his ashen face were all part of Linley’s pretense.
“A simple palm like that, given my defense, won’t be able to harm me at all.” Linley snickered internally. “However, it’s best to hide my true strength for now.” After having arrived in the Four Divine Beasts clan, he had decided to first spend some time quietly accompanying his family and friends. After he became a Highgod, he would then go out to do battle.
In addition, after he became a Highgod, he would be of greater use.
He couldn’t reveal his strength for now. Once he did, his peaceful days would be over.
“Linley, tell me, what is this about?” Garvey looked at Linley.
“Elder Garvey, I didn’t offend Elder Emanuel at all, but for no reason at all, he wants to kill me.” Linley said. The matter regarding the Coiling Dragon ring definitely couldn’t be revealed. By now, Linley had also changed the appearance of the Coiling Dragon ring.
Even divine artifacts could be changed in appearance, and so Sovereign artifacts naturally could as well.
Linley regretted not having changed the appearance of the Coiling Dragon ring in the past. First of all, nobody had ever discovered it, and so he had not been vigilant. Secondly, as his power had increased, so too had his self-confidence. But who would have imagined that this would happen?”
“Emanuel?” Garvey looked towards him.
“Garvey, do you believe me or believe him?” Emanuel’s rage was rising, and his face was exceedingly ugly. “This Linley offended me. Today, I will definitely kill him. Garvey, out of the way.”
The black-robed men at the corridor were all surprised. This Emanuel really had lost his self-control.
“Emanuel!” Garvey barked coldly. “We are in the Skyrite Mountains! The rules of the clan are that we are not to wantonly slaughter each other. What are you doing!”
“Elder Emanuel, I truly wish to know why you want to kill me.” Linley stared at Emanuel as he spoke.
“Right. Why do you want to kill him?” Garvey also looked at him.
Emanuel stared furiously at Linley, his eyes spitting fire. He was angry. Angry that Linley didn’t know what was good for him. “I was willing to offer a drop of Sovereign’s Might, but he still wasn’t willing. He forced my hand.” Emanuel had already made his decision.
“Elder Emanuel, why are you so angry? It seems as though I should be the angry one.” Linley laughed coldly. “If push comes to shove, we can just fight to the end, until ‘either the fish dies or the net breaks’!”
Emanuel’s heart clenched.
What did he fear, right now?
Not Garvey’s interference. He was afraid that Linley would publicly announce the fact that he had the Azure Dragon ring. Once this was made public...even if the clan didn’t confiscate it, there was no way it would go to Emanuel.
“Fine, Linley.” Emanuel snickered. “Aren’t you the fierce one.”
“Me, fierce? It is that you go too far.” Linley replied.
The nearby Garvey as well as the black-robed men were mystified. They didn’t know what Linley and Emanuel were talking about.
“Elder Emanuel, I, as a junior, would like to offer you a few words!” Linley stared at Emanuel, a hint of a smile at the corner of his lips. “Sometimes, it’s best not to be too greedy. Greed can cause you to lose your life. What belongs to you is yours. What doesn’t belong to you will never be yours.”
Emanuel began to laugh from rage.
“Kid, I’ll send your words right back to you.” Emanuel said furiously. “Don’t be too greedy. Greed can cause you to lose your life!”
“Oh? Lose my life?” Linley began to laugh. “Most venerable Elder, you are a powerful Seven Star Fiend, while I am just a mere God. I admit that my power is inferior to yours, and it wouldn’t be hard for you to take my life, but you can’t go too far and be too abusive.”
“What are you two talking about!” Garvey said angrily.
“Emanuel.” Garvey said, “If Linley truly has acted untowardly, you can go ahead and speak to the Assembly of Elders, who will definitely carry out a punishment against Linley.”
Emanuel took a deep breath, then said slowly, “Linley, the offense you have given me is unpardonable. I...issue you a challenge to a life-and-death duel!”
“Life-and-death duel?”
Garvey and the black-robed men on the corridor were all stunned. Garvey stared, astonished, at Emanuel, then sent with divine sense, “Emanuel, what are you doing? He’s just a God. If you really want to kill him, just report this to the Assembly of Elders. Why a life-and-death duel?”
But how could Garvey know that Emanuel wanted to personally kill Linley and rob him of his Azure Dragon ring?
Those black-robed men all looked at Linley, a hint of pity in their eyes.
“Can I ask, what is this life-and-death duel?” Linley’s voice rang out.
Immediately, Elder Garvey and the others were all amazed. Linley didn’t even know what a life-and-death duel was?
Garvey let out a secret sigh, feeling grief for Linley. In the end, he explained, “Linley, there are many people in the clan. With so many people together, it’s impossible for there to be no conflicts at all. Once the conflicts reach a certain level where neither side will rest until the other is dead, then these conflicts will have become irreconcilable. Although the rules of the clan state that clansmen are not permitted to kill each other, when the hatred grows too great, sometimes even the mediation of the clan is useless.”
“At this time, the only option is a ‘life-and-death duel’!”
Garvey said solemnly, “The life-and-death duel is a brutal duel, with two people taking part and the duel only concluding upon one side’s death. But of course, if the winner spares the loser’s life, that’s permitted as well. However, generally speaking, in a life-and-death duel, both sides won’t end it until the other is dead.”
Hearing this, Linley now understood.
He couldn’t help but feel his rage grow. “This Emanuel really doesn’t want to leave me any options at all.”
“Can it be that I have to accept his challenge?” Linley asked.
“You can refuse it.” Garvey said. “However, even if you refuse it, he can still make an application to the Assembly of Elders. Once the Assembly of Elders approves it, even if you refuse...you still have to take part in the life-and-death duel.”
“Haha...” Linley began to laugh. “Assembly of Elders?”
Emanuel himself was a member of the Assembly of Elders. If Emanuel went to apply for a life-and-death duel, how could it not pass?
“Linley, if you regret it, it isn’t too late yet.” Emanuel laughed coldly. “My conditions haven’t changed. I can spare your life.” Emanuel’s request was to use a drop of Sovereign’s Might in exchange for the Coiling Dragon ring.
Linley looked at him. Simply looked at him, with eyes as cold as ice.
“It isn’t too late for me if I regret it?” Linley had a hint of a satirical smile on his face.
“Right.” Emanuel nodded.
“Emanuel, I’ll tell you this.” Linley snickered. “I refuse your life-and-death challenge!”
“Your refusal is futile.” Emanuel said.
Linley snickered. “I’m refusing right now. As for whether or not the Assembly of Elders will approve your request, I can’t be bothered to care. I’ll tell you one thing as well...Emanuel, if you regret it now, it isn’t too late for you. In the future, even if you regret it, it will be too late.”
After speaking, Linley turned his head and left, his face a frozen mask.
Linley truly had the urge to kill now!
“Originally, I wanted to continue my peaceful life until becoming a Highgod. Emanuel, you forced me!” Linley wouldn’t hesitate any longer. If he truly had to participate in a life-and-death duel, he would definitely kill Emanuel!
Seeing Linley’s back as he walked away, Emanuel laughed coldly.
“Refuse? Will your refusal matter?” Emanuel chuckled. “When the time comes, it won’t matter even if you regret it.” Emanuel shook his head, then left, not paying any attention to Garvey.
Garvey let out a sigh.
“What a pity for this genius. He is going to die.” Garvey didn’t think Linley had any chance at life. Emanuel was a fourth generation member of the clan. His father was a third generation member, while his paternal grandmother was of the second generation.
In the entire Azure Dragon clan, there were only two members of the second generation, a pair of siblings, brother and sister. The first was the Patriarch of the Azure Dragon clan, the son of the ancestor, the ‘Azure Dragon’. The other was the sister of the Patriarch.
In the clan, Emanuel’s status wasn’t that high, but his influence was significant.
As for Garvey? He had come countless tens of thousands of generations later. Although he was also a Seven Star Fiend, his influence was naturally inferior.
Late at night. The Violet Moon hung high in the sky.
Linley flew by himself on Dragon Avenue. He clearly remembered the way back home.
“This Coiling Dragon ring.” Linley lowered his head, glancing at it. In his mind, he couldn’t help but think back to so many scenes from his childhood.
Because of the Coiling Dragon ring, he had met Grandpa Doehring.
Because of Grandpa Doehring, he had become a powerful expert.
Over the many years, because of the Coiling Dragon ring, he was able to compensate for the difference in his soul when compared to Highgods. Because of the Coiling Dragon ring, he dared to do battle against Seven Star Fiends. Unconsciously...
His entire life had become intertwined with the Coiling Dragon ring.
“Nobody should even dream of trying to take my Coiling Dragon ring from me.” Linley said softly.
“If I truly am forced to take part in a life-and-death duel.” Linley’s gaze was cold and clear. “I will definitely kill that Emanuel. Right now, he is the only one who knows that I have this Coiling Dragon ring. He definitely won’t be so stupid as to spread the news. If I kill him, no one else will know about it.”
That very day, Emanuel returned and immediately went to find the three Elders who were in charge of managing the ‘life-and-death duels’.
Ordinary duels could be agreed to by three Elders.
“Emanuel, why did you summon the three of us in such a rush?” Two men, one woman. The three were dressed in resplendent azure armor with golden patterns, and a billowing cape covered with complicated magic runes.
Three Elders.
“There’s a God who has offended me. He holds me in no regard at all.” Emanuel said angrily. “I am going to kill him. I’m applying for a life-and-death duel. The three of you, help me out and approve this request.” As he spoke, he handed over a piece of paper.
The three Elders glanced at the paper, then looked at each other.
This was a joke, right?
An Elder was going to engage in a life-and-death duel to kill a God?
The golden-haired woman laughed. “Emanuel, as someone who has a revered position as an Elder, how can you possibly squabble with the likes of a God?”
“I am definitely going to kill him.” Emanuel said.
Another Elder, a silver-haired old man, laughed. “Emanuel, if you really want to kill him, just tell us the reason he offended you. We’ll send people to go arrest him. In accordance with the rules of the clan, we can execute him for having offended an Elder. Why the need for some life-and-death duel? You, a venerable Elder, are going to duel a God. Isn’t this laughable?”
“The three of you, just consider this being me, Emanuel, asking the three of you to help me out. Alright?” Emanuel said.
The three exchanged glances.
“Fine. We agree.” The three Elders each withdrew a feather quill, recording their names on the paper.
Emanuel, seeing this, laughed. In his heart, he said to himself, “Linley, it’s now too late for you, even if you regret it.”